This invention relates to an air blast sprayer for use to disseminate liquid insecticide, fungicide and herbicides into trees and field crops; and more particularly to such a sprayer having discharge nozzles for directing a high velocity blasts of air and entrained liquid into the foliage of trees, shrubs etc.
One difficulty encountered with the spraying of trees having heavy foliage, is that the foliage tends to form a protective outer sheath which acts, when a spray is directed toward it to prevent penetration of the spray into the interior of the tree. For this reason it is desirable to provide a spraying apparatus which can discharge high velocity jets of air entrained liquid, having the ability to penetrate this protective sheath and to distribute the entrained liquid within the tree as well as on the exterior foliage. One principal object of this invention therefore is to provide an efficient air blast spraying apparatus having the capability to discharge high velocity air jets with entrained liquid into the interior of trees having heavy foliage.
Another object of this invention is to provide air blast spraying apparatus having the ability to discharge high velocity spray jets, and which is adapted to be driven by the power-take-off of a towing tractor vehicle.
A further object of this invention is to provide spraying apparatus of modular construction, wherein a tank unit and a discharge head unit may be assembled as a unitary trailer towed by a tractor; or, alternatively, wherein the discharge head unit is carried by the tractor on a three-point-hitch with the tank unit being towed as a trailer; and wherein the apparatus may be quickly converted from one mode of use to another.
A further object of this invention is to provide spraying apparatus having a discharge head unit which is readily convertible from one form of nozzle arrangement to another, through the use of interchangeable nozzle assemblies.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a spraying apparatus for producing, efficiently, jets of liquid entrained air having maximum velocity.
These objects are accomplished in apparatus including a discharge head unit comprising a generally horizontal base frame and laterally spaced supports on the frame including means defining a horizontal rotation axis. A discharge head comprises a generally flat and cylindrical blower housing and enclosed rotor both rotatably mounted about the frame rotation axis, with the blower housing having generally parallel side walls and a generally cylindrical peripheral wall, at least one side wall having a central inlet opening. A plurality of elongated discharge nozzles are rigidly mounted on the peripheral wall, projecting generally radially outward therefrom. The blower rotor has generally radial vanes, with the radially outer edges thereof spaced substantially from the housing peripheral wall. Bearing means are associated with each of the housing side walls for rotatably supporting the side walls relative to the rotation axis; and spacer means are provided at spaced peripheral points of the side walls for supporting them in spaced relation to each other. The housing peripheral wall is fabricated from at least one generally cylindrically formed section; and coacting clamping means are mounted on the respective joining ends of that peripheral section for clamping that section of the side walls.
These objects are further accomplished in air blast spraying apparatus comprising, in combination, a tank unit, a discharge head unit and a draw bar unit as modular components. The tank unit comprises a base frame including parallel side members, support wheel means mounted on the base frame, and a vessel for containing liquids mounted on said base frame. The discharge unit comprises a base frame including parallel side members, spaced shaft support member mounted on the base frame for rotatably supporting a horizontal shaft, and a discharge head rotatably supported on the shaft. The tank unit, discharge unit and draw bar unit have complementary means for selectively coupling same in a unitary trailer assembly; and the tank unit, discharge head unit and draw bar unit have complementary means for alternatively coupling said tank unit and draw bar unit in a trailer assembly to be pivotally coupled to said discharge head unit.
The novel features and the advantages of the invention, as well as additional objects thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.